Former Representative George Santos (R-N.Y.) took to social media platform X on Saturday to question his former House colleagues about their intentions regarding Representative Henry Cuellar (D-Texas).
Specifically, Santos asked Representative Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) if he would draft a resolution to expel Cuellar, drawing a parallel to the situation that led to Santos’ own expulsion from the House last year.
Santos’ inquiry came after Cuellar and his wife were indicted on charges related to allegedly accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes and laundering funds.
George Santos (Credits: CNN)
The Department of Justice (DOJ) alleges that Cuellar received payments from an oil company owned by the Azerbaijan government and a Mexican bank, which were then laundered through shell companies owned by his wife, Imelda Cuellar.
Cuellar has denied the allegations, stating that both he and his wife are innocent and that his actions in Congress have always been focused on serving the people of South Texas.
However, Santos is drawing attention to the apparent double standard in the House, where he was expelled for his own misconduct, while Cuellar remains in office despite facing serious allegations.
Henry Cuellar (Credits: CNN)
Santos’ posts on X were directed at Torres and Representative Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), who had previously introduced a resolution to expel Santos. Santos is asking why there has been no similar effort to hold Cuellar accountable, suggesting that the House may be applying different standards to different members.
The situation highlights the complex and often partisan nature of ethics investigations and expulsions in the House. While Santos’ expulsion was rare, it sets a precedent for holding members accountable for misconduct. The question now is whether the House will apply the same standard to Cuellar and other members facing allegations of wrongdoing.
